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Man, I am very surprised to hear all the calls to throw Kuzma into the starting lineup over Larry Nance Jr. based on Nance’s defensive performance on Porzingis, who is about a foot taller and shoots almost like Stephen Curry. All of this talk is nonsense in my opinion.

We are very lucky to have gotten Kyle Kuzma in the late first round and he is a very good player. Kuzma has shown that he has a strong offensive game. Defensively, he leaves a lot to be desired though, it’s not uncommon for a rookie.

We are also very lucky to have gotten Larry Nance Jr. in the late first round. While Kuzma may in the end turn out to become the better player, he is not better right now. And personally, I think Larry Nance brings more to the table than Kuzma right now. The things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. Things like being a great and supportive teammate, boxing out someone to allow a teammate to get the rebound, setting good picks, and yes, playing good defense, especially in the post, among many other intangibles.

I’m not going to bash Kuzma or Nance. In the end, these guys are completely different players who bring good things to the table for the team. I do think Nance is a better overall player at this moment. I think they could and should be on the same court together. Both are tweeners, and they both allow the team a lot of flexibility with the lineups.

At this moment, Nance is the better player and should be the starter in my opinion.

My goodness Magicman, who keeps all of those stats? It’s enough to make my head spin. But yes, Kuzma’s shooting makes him a superior offensive player. I also like his runners and his running baby hook.

Nance is not the better player by any stretch of the imagination. Kuzma doesn’t have any holes in his game. Imagine defenders laying off him from 18 feet out like they do to Nance. Nance doesn’t even think about shooting the ball. I think Kuzma is a superior player to Nance in every aspect of the game, as is Julius Randle. Nance does have value though and should bet traded. Right now all he is doing is taking minutes away from Kuzma and Randle. Sure he has bright spots here and there and is a nice team player, but I’m not his biggest fan.

I can accept your opinion that Nance is not the better player. However, I can’t agree with you that he “should” be traded. You don’t just throw out glue guys like Larry Nance. Guys with Larry Nance’s skill set don’t come a dime a dozen. You can say the same about Kuzma.

Before Nance broke his hand, he was the Lakers most consistent player. The only reason this has become a debate is because he got injured and Kuzma played pretty well and impressed a lot of people. People were also making the rookie comparison between Kuzma and Ball. “Oh, Kuzma is better than Lonzo Ball” which is utter nonsense. But this Lonzo Ball hatred has influenced the inflated status of Kuzma more than it should have in my opinion. Creating this sense that Kuzma is better than he really is.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy that Kyle Kuzma is a Laker. He has grown so much figuratively and literally since college at Utah. I didn’t realize he was so consistent with his shooting. However, I don’t believe that he’s ready to be an NBA starter on a team with Larry Nance, Julius Randle, and Brandon Ingram.

Larry Nance is a player who does the selfless types of things that every team needs. The guy just knows how to play the game and makes an impact on the game without scoring. You don’t trade guys like that. You sign those guys to cap friendly contracts, and let them go to work.

I have to jump in here. I haven’t been on in a while, but have certainly been paying attention.

So the rumor is that Lebron might come to the Lakers. And I’m hearing a lot of Laker fans saying that they wouldn’t want Lebron on the Lakers. I’m hearing, “he’s going to be 33”, “I’d rather have Cousins”, “I’d rather have Westbrook”, “we’ll have to pay him too much”…etc.

All I have to say to that is….huh?

Lebron is the greatest player of our generation. He would put us into the championship conversation immediately. I’m having a hard time understanding the logic of “not wanting Lebron James on the Lakers”. I’ll take Lebron at 34-36, with a young Lonzo,a young Ingram and whoever else i.e. Paul George, with some veterans who are looking to win a championship. That’s how you win these days.

I hope we don’t give up anything for Paul George this year. I really don’t understand why Paul George is such a priority. He isn’t going to bring us a championship, he isn’t at that level. Then he’ll take minutes from Brandon Ingram. All this Paul George talk is strange to me.

Yeah I’m not sold on PG if it means giving up assets. I rather be patient, develop the young core and add to it via free agency. He already seems selfish and irrational with this latest announcement. It seems he cafes more about where he’s living now then the future chance of competing. He’s an allstar….nothing more or less, not worth what they will demand from the Lakers. As a Lakers fan I couldn’t care less about anything but competing for a championship. That’s not happening soon with the juggernaut Warriors in their prime so we might as well take the patient slow approach instead of making irrational decisions based on business.

I completely understand your desire and preference to build our own team from the ground up and not to trade away our kids for veterans. It’s the same way I feel about all of my sports teams. Homegrown champions are always the best way to go. While I loved Wilt and Kareem, it’s the homegrown stars like Magic, Worthy, and Kobe that we watched grow up to become superstars and the championships they led us to that brought the most pleasure and satisfaction. Of course, this would require great patience by front office and fans.

However, we are talking about the Lakers and there is definitely a reincarnation of Lakers exceptionalism that is sweeping Lakers land. Paul George is pushing now for the Lakers to trade for him. If you look at the assets we have accumulated and the potential cap space we can create, the Lakers have the ability to acquire three elite young players -- one via trade and two via free agency -- before they have to extend their young players. Trading for Paul George will prime the pump and open the doors to possibly adding one or two other elite players like Westbrook or Cousins. Magic and Rob want to redo the Lakers roster and PG is step one.

Morning, Sean. Word is Lakers aren’t high on using picks or prospects to move Deng or Mozgov. Rather just waive and stretch them next year. I think that is smart unless somebody makes them a deal they can’t refuse.

Stretch next summer spreads their remaining ~69.5mil over the next 5 years. That’s a dead $13.9/mil a season for 5 more years. The stench of Jimbo would remain until 2022. I’d be doing what I could to rid myself of that catastrophe, asap.

It’s interesting how every possible elite free agent that has come across the Laker radar, meets with opposition. Westbrook, Cousins, LA, all had an “I don’t want him…” clause from posters. Some of us want to win, sooner than later.

2. Magic is the GOAT. I’m very happy that he is “calling the shots” for the Lakers. I’m sad for Mitch Kupchak as he was a good GM in my opinion, however, it’s a new era for the Lakers. It’s time for some Magic.

3. Jim Buss… the things he did looked good on paper sometimes. But he made too many mistakes, bottom line. Not a basketball guy. Magic is head and shoulders above him. I thought he drafted well though.

4. D’Angelo Russell is making common mistakes for a guy his age. I’m still very high on him and still think he’s an all star in the making. He’s immature, duh!! He’ll grow up. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. I am not worried at all about this sophomore slump. As long as he keeps working, which he is doing as far as I can tell, he’ll be fine. He’s no Kobe, he’s no Curry, not on that level, but he’s going to be good.

5. Julius Randle…I’d like to see him make his layups. As each day passes, he’s becoming the youngster who will be traded for a superstar. He’s good, no doubt about it. But he does not fit the prototypical stretch PF that teams need these days. He’s a tweener who plays a power post game. I want to think he will develop to be able to dominate his peers at his position, but those dudes are big and tall. Julius will always have a hard time getting that inside shot up on those guys being that he’s so short. Then, his defense is not that great either. I wonder, who is the better draft pick? Marcus Smart or Julius Randle?

7. Brandon Ingram- Outstanding player for a 19 yr old. All around game.

8. Larry Nance Jr.- I wish he would shoot more and that the team would get him the ball in the post. He’s a very good post player. The team can run the offense through him on the 2nd unit and he would create a good shot for the team. He’s the ultimate team player. Plays good defense in the post. I like him better than Randle personally.

9. Team outlook: Looking good. Hopefully we get lucky again and keep this pick. We have a lot to work with, young assets, big contracts. Next year, the boys will be a year older and a year better. While the rest of the league gets a year older and a year worse.

I’m enjoying this process. I really enjoy watching this team as inconsistent as they are. We have some really good prospects who are fun to watch. I’m going to miss Lou Williams, he was a good Laker in his short stint, very fun to watch. But the young guys are our ticket to get back to where we want to be.

Yeap, nice post. I agree with everything. I’m not so high on DAR and Randle but I’m not writing them down ATM.

Larry is the ultimate team player. Agree. KEEPER.

And Zubac, his fundamentals are so solid that I feel it’ll be easy to teach him “the-other-side”. Boogey is not my favorite C but if Zubac gets just a little bit of that aggressiveness, he’ll be a monster in the paint.

4) He is, but, like your points on Randle, he has physical limitations to his game he needs to overcome. He’s slow and earth-bound for a PG in today’s NBA. I think if he tops out at Lou Williams-esque he’ll have just about maxed out his potential. No guarantee he’ll get there.

5) Agreed, like DAR he has physical limitations to overcome. He hasn’t rebounded with the same verve as last season, but the work he’s shown this season is legit. I’d actually like to see him can that jumper more consistently then anything underneath. Dude gets after it. That jump shot will open the entire floor for him.

6) Totally, kid seems to have a bright future but let’s remember: it’s early, he’s playing in semi-limited situations but he’s already shown a knack for protecting the basket and he has a nice touch in the paint.

7) If he can score the rest of the year like he did last night I’ll be a lot more willing to sign off on his future. Up until the ASB (a week or so before, honestly) he was REALLY struggling to score from anywhere. Nothing was going in. Whatever he did just before the ASB (seems like he got more aggressive taking it to the basket according to Magic) has gotten his shot looking a little better. But he’s not in any conversations for RotY, which isn’t the norm for a #2 pick.

8) I worry about LNJs durability. Had an injury history in college and it hasn’t really abated. He’s got a great feel for the game, although yes he needs to just shoot the open shot. Can’t be afraid to shoot in the NBA.

9) Yeah, I suppose. This has been a season of cleansing vibes. It may continue in the summer on draft day. This team won’t be a consistent playoff threat simply by adding anoth4er lottery pick. Not until we sign, or more likely trade for as is the great NBA tradition, a free agent of significant impact will we see major improvement. Of all our youthful talent I only see Zubac, Ingram if he ever learns to shoot, as having the super star ceiling. Of course, I have no crystal ball or anything. Just opinionating, like we do. Like we do.

One wonders if Byron comes back now in some capacity, maybe just for a camp workout or some such. Maybe not. I do think the Lakers need to make a concerted effort to show a new direction going forward and no matter how good a buddy Byron and Earvin may be, I think they need to embolden Luke to make it his team as much as he is capable of.

Honestly, Luke’s hype was born of more than that run. Phil giving him a minor role on the team, lockout coaching the college squad. Wah-yahs. Now a HC and a young to boot. Biggest thing, like it with anyone new to the job: how quickly do they learn, improve and adapt and at what level do they top out at? Same questions for a lot of the guys on the staff.

Honestly, I hope they simply let the coaches and their deals run the course. These guys are here until July. My biggest question these days: has Nick Young played well enough to justify opting out of his deal. He’s on the bubble as far as I’m concerned. He could blow up with no Lou or, more likely, he keeps up his hot/cold routine with maybe a nuclear game or two left in the season.

My questions are obvious deficiencies, to me. Fielf goal shooting, free throw shooting and defense. All fundamental aspects of the game, that can be improved, when addressed and met with corrective measures. Repetiyibe practice and effort. Answers need to be sought from thd players, as well as the coaching staff.

I’m just going to wait, watch and root the team on. You know, rah-rah-sis-boom-bah. No reason to over analyze at these infant stages, over criticize, whine, b!tch, complain or tear our players new a-holes, especially DLo. I’ll also listen to what Luke has to say about what and how he’s trying to develop the kids. That was the stated goal before the season and nothing has changed.

I try not to look at the individual stats too much because I’ve always felt they are somewhat skewed on bad teams. But the body language, attitude, & effort from this group is kinda troubling to me. And from summa Luke’s comments it’s grating on him too. No excuse for that.

This is such a fun team to watch. There are so many who deserve credit for the start of this season. This is truly a TEAM who cares for each other and plays for each other. That is something that is hard to come by in this era of big money. We have 3 potential superstars in Russell, Ingram, and Randle. Our coach is making all the right moves to put players in a position to have success. This is awesome stuff we are seeing, what a turnaround!

My question is, does this save Jim Buss? My answer is, YES it does. Jim Buss has stayed out of the spotlight and allowed Mitch Kupchak and the scouts to do their jobs. Our drafting has been outstanding. To come away with 3 potential superstars in 3 years, that’s 100% if my math is right. Then we drafted Clarkson, Nance, and Zubac as excellent role players. The Warriors and Thunder are the only teams I can think of who have drafted with such success.

As a lifelong Lakerfan, this is a very exciting time. Our trio of Russell, Randle, and Ingram have a chance to grow into a dominant force over the next few years. The chemistry between them and the young role players is excellent. Our coach is awesome. Players are going to want to be a part of this soon, free agents will be available and willing to join the Lakers (whether we’ll want them or not is another question). The dark clouds are gone and the sun is shining bright in Lakerland. As a life long Lakerfan, Charger fan, and Padre fan, this improves my sports life dramatically to say the least.

I’m looking forward to more great moments from this Laker team this year and beyond. Thank you to the Lakers from the top down for working so hard to create this.

Me too Rocky, it’s been a lot of fun to watch and even if the free agents aren’t panning out it’s no biggie because the players I like more are kicking booty. As to what happens at season’s end I think a lot will depend on how this whole thing progresses. But I have always thought, barring a third historically bad season, Jim and Mitch would be back. Seems like we’re not going to have anything remotely like that which is fantastic.

Since you haven’t been paying attention, Jeannie Buss has clarified several times that “competing in the West Finals” is the bar for Jimbo’s self imposed deadline this summer. I sure hope we get there.
If not, we will see if Jimmy is a man of his word.
That being said, our scouting department and FO have done an excellent job in selecting our current youngsters.

Great post Rocky! Feeling the same way. I’ve been a Randle fan from the beginning so it’s exciting and promising as he evolves into what I envisioned. Being a Raiders fan I love that my two teams have promising young cores. The process is just as much fun as being in title contention.

Waiving Anthony Brown was my thought all along. I know the presence of Metta in the locker room and the practices has been important, but is it important enough to not carry a 3rd center with an interesting trade chip contract.

Looks like they couldn’t convince mwp to become an asst coach. He’s taking up a roster spot but really…how important is the 15th spot on the team anyway. And I guess we can stop talking about guaranteed contracts factoring into these decisions. ..they dropped the 2 guys with deals in favor of 2 camp invites. Yi n AB never showed much on the court so they’re toast. I like it. Don’t let the doorknob hit ya where the good Lord split ya…

Only 250K of Yi’s deal was guaranteed and AB’s was about 875K. Having MWP as an on court assistant coach haranguing these guys in practice and teaching some D was obviously more important than keeping a young player who was unlikely improve with little playing time anyway. I’m happy for Thomas Robinson. Maybe he will continue to improve as he showed at the end of last season.

1. D’Angelo Russell will be a star. It would be stupid to trade him. At 20 to be doing the types of things he can do is spectacular. He certainly “loaded” up himself on some Kobe. I’m thinking he’ll be an all star within 3 years. He’s going to turn the ball over and make some mistakes, but who doesn’t? I love his smooth style, he’s way more athletic than people like to say. Then how can you not be impressed with his ice in his veins? With all the pressure of being the Los Angeles Lakers lead guard, he’s pointing at his arm in clutch situations proclaiming he has “ice in my veins”. Yes, this can backfire at some point, but this is the type of personality that can help us move on from Kobe. He really reminds me of Nick Van Exel, but better.

2. At some point, the team is going to have to make a decision between paying Larry Nance or Julius Randle. Judging by this years free agency, both players will be max type guys. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s scary at the same time. I like both of them.

3. Zubac loves the Lakers, I love Zubac.

4. Anthony Brown just hasn’t developed his game.

5. I love the vibe coming from the coaches. Much more positive. I love Byron, but his authoritarian coaching style will not be missed.

6. Brandon Ingram of course is not ready. A year of observing Luol Deng should be helpful for him. Hopefully we’ll see some flashes from Ingram this season, but I’m not expecting much out of him.

Agreed, but I think Anthony Brown is one of the best defenders on the team. Also, he is playing the off guard position right now and as I have posted previously, I think the coaching staff is experimenting with him as a potential Sefolosha/Roberson type, which makes sense given the nature of Russell’s ball dominant game. As you know, Brown is a natural small forward, but then again “wings” are wings in the NBA more and more these days. His shot isn’t falling and I think it’s more a matter of him pressing than anything else, as James Worthy suggested last night. It’s possible that he never figures things out in that regard given that is he almost assuredly not a rotation player and all players need minutes to get into a rhythm, especially younger players.

I agree regarding Ingram, too. He won’t be ready for prime time thuis season just as much as he will be an All-Star some day. His all-around game is ridiculously polished for his age, but he needs to load up on a boatload of lasagna and milkshakes!

Also, let’s not get ahead of ourselves re Randle and Nance. Assuming that this stupid soft cap remains intact, the Lakers will pay whoever is worthy of keeping because they can.

Re Anthony Brown, I just don’t see it. His demeanor out there, his offensive moves, his shot, his athleticism; none of it is impressive. His defense is ok, no steals or blocks or charges taken, not a good rebounder. His defense is staying in front of his man and getting a hand up. There are tons of guys who can do that. If Thabo Sefolosha and Andre Roberson is his ceiling, it’s not going to work out for him. Whenever he shoots he’s thinking about it, that kind of stuff is hard to overcome. I just don’t see an NBA player.

You could be right, but what is wrong with a Sefolosha/Roberson ceiling? Is it because his minutes and role would be so limited that it wouldn’t pay dividends for either AB or the team? Interesting statement and good discussion.

Yeah, and I don’t recall either Thabo or Andre makin’ a substantial impact on their respective teams at the same stage of their careers anymore than AB has thus far. And ur point concerning his lack of minutes is a valid one IMO. I say, let’s wait and see if he improves on his shooting as the season progresses. I was glad to see him attack the paint more last night tho, hadn’t seen much of that from him previously.

Niether Sefolosha or Roberson has ever played a role on a championship team so I don’t really see the big deal with these guys. That said, Brown’s D is nowhere near Sefolosha, and his shot seems to be a myth.

Brown is 6’7, yet he looks like he’s much smaller against Summer league competition. It’s not a good sign for him.

Anyways, I don’t like bashing any of the Lakers. I hope AB can come around and prove me wrong.

So what r u sayin’? Is ur criteria for being a good to solid defender predicated on playin’ on a championship team? I sure hope not.

I think AB is a very good defender at this early stage of his career, his perimeter shooting is still lacking, but it’s a process and I’m sure as he gets more PT and his confidence, hopefully, grows, he’ll improve in that part of his game. I’m just not sure exactly what u expect from him on the defensive end bcuz there have been several other bloggers here who have given him credit for his play on that end of the court. Not that we’re all gonna see things the same way, of course.

No that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that Sefolosha or Roberson are not championship type players. They have too many holes in their games. AB is not on Sefolosha’s level. Roberson is just not that good in the first place, but still better than AB.

What makes you think AB is such a good defender? He doesn’t pass the eye test for me. He’s not NBA level.

Well, yeah … of course he’s not at ‘their’ level … yet. My point was that they weren’t at the level they’re at now when they were at the same stage of their careers either.

What makes me think AB’s a good defender is mainly his footwork which is what I was taught many years ago is where u develop good defensive skills first and foremost, with ur feet first. If u watch his footwork it’s very good IMO for a player at such an early stage of his pro career. I’m not exactly sure just what it is that u’re lookin’ for him to do defensively. And I’m not sure what u mean by he ‘looks much smaller’ against SL competition. I mean, it’s not like he can change his height and 6′ 7″ is a pretty standard height for his position at the 3. Of course, he’s actually playin’ at the 2 right now, but I doubt that’ll be the case once camp starts, but we’ll see. My guess is, the coaches r experimenting with him at the 2 right now, perhaps to see how effective he can be at that position and to determine his potential versatility. The only thing that I’ve been slightly disappointed with is his perimeter shooting thus far. But, like I’ve said, I’m willing to be patient with that part of his game since I think he just may need more playing time to develop more confidence in that aspect of his overall game. Only time will tell.

Wasn’t really watchin’ all the Warriors players that closely last night since I was focusing on the Lakers players, so I’m not sure what Shepard looked like, so I can’t say whether I think he’d be a better defender than AB or not. I may try to catch the Dubs game later tonight and see if I can get a chance to see what he looks like.

Rocky may have “keener” eye than me, but from what I have seen of Anthony Brown, he stays in front of his man, is strong and has nice length. He was particularly impressive against Buddy Hield to the point that I was actually impressed despite the fact that it was only a Summer League game. BTW, you MUST be a junkie if you’re going to watch SL games not involving our guys! LOL!!!

Agreed, keen … his D right now is damm good. Along with LNJ, he might already be the best defender among the youngsters. And I’m sure with time, he’ll start knocking down those treys as his confidence grows.

AB has Trevor-like defensive instincts. Not only does he stay in front of his man, but, he knows when to antagonize his man when he begins to move in either direction. These types of instincts really can’t be taught, only learned and developed. Anthony Brown could very well be a defensive specialist in the mold or Bruce Bowen, as Mr. Keen suggested.

Outstanding post, Rocky. D’Angelo is showing he is going to be the team’s leader and next superstar. He has a lot of Kobe in his game and his attitude. The strengths -- and weaknesses -- in his game remind me a lot of Steph Curry. Yes, he is a score first player but he also can change gears and distribute the ball. I think once we see him playing with more experienced players, his assists totals will start to climb. But make no mistake, D’Angelo is going to be an elite scorer in this league and will emerge as the team’s heir apparent to Kobe Bryant.

We’ll see … allz I’m sayin’ is let’s not get all in a tizzy over him scoring big against inferior competition and proclaiming him a ‘star’ b4 he’s consistently proven anything against real NBA level competition, that’s all. Like I said, I’m hopin’ he’ll eventually live up to the hype, but as of right now, he’s hasn’t convinced me at all that he’s even close.

Nobody is saying he is a superstar now, G. Just that he is showing us glimpses that are promising and that is way better than we saw last summer. No need to get upset. It’s not like we’re jinxing him by looking ahead. It’s just different strokes for different folks. The one thing we both have in common is wanting to see him become a great player.

Umm, some here have been pretty much proclaiming him a ‘star’ since the start of last season, keen. All I’m sayin’ is let’s back off of all this undue praise. I got nuthin’ against givin’ him credit for showing ‘some’ improvement, but it hasn’t been enough to convince me that he’ll ‘definitely’ be a ‘star’. The jury is still very much out as far as I’m concerned.

I just see a whole lot of talent and a whole lot of upside in every single aspect of his game. If he dedicates himself -- #kobesystem style -- his potential is unlimited IMO. We won 17 games last season and don’t play until the end of October. Obviously his progress will be a daily topic, but in reality, the All-Star break will be a time to see where’s he’s at, where he realistically can go and when that can realistically happen.

Again, I’m sure he has a certain amount of potential, I’m just not willing to get excited and label him a future ‘star’ based on his play in SL. I’m sure I’ll have a better idea of what he ‘may’ become by the AS break, at least I hope so.

Yes, I think he can become both, G. Like Curry and Westbrook and the other “combo” guards, there will be times when we wish he passed more or shot more but good coaching and experience will help him figure that out down the line. It’s the same typerope that Kobe learned through the years to master. I think like Kobe, he has both skill sets. He definitely could be a Harden 2 but I still see him as a Curry 1. For now, the similarities are in approach. Time will tell if his game deserves to be compared but that’s years off.

Right now, I’m excited about his potential to be an elite scorer. Elite scorers who can take over a game the way D’Angelo can are a rare breed and hard to find. I think as D’Angelo starts to work with Luke and the new offense, he will get more and more opportunities to make plays for others. His turnovers right now are also due to trying to over penetrate trying to attack the rim. I am looking forward to seeing D’Angelo start pushing the envelope on his passing. That’s something that should be encouraged rather than discouraged as it was last year. Give Luke time to work with him and I think he will become a superstar. But you’re right, G, he has a long way to go but he has the skills and work ethic to get there.

Just a note on the whole assist turnover thing. Russell has only played with two of the guys in the team before. And they only had a week of practice so while he certainly needs to improve in this area it’s a little harder in summer league then scoring.
One thing I did notice was like last year the guys aren’t ready for some of his passes. One flew right past Larry and one flew past Zublocka. That’s two assist opportunities that turned into turnovers. There were also a couple of nice pocket passes that were bobbled. All in all I’m not that concerned. He has great court vision and passing ability. In this kind of motion offense where the goal is to move the ball Russell may never become an assist machine but that’s okay. The offense doesn’t require him to be. I’m think perhaps 5 to 6 a game like Irrving gets with the Cavs will be about what he ends up doing.

Great points, Michael I am hoping Luke encourages D’Angelo to embrace the great pass and not be afraid of making a turnover. As he grows and matures and is surrounded by players he knows and who know him, those passes will become assists. Luke will give him the rope to play free that he never got last year. We’re seeing that with the scoring right now. The change in culture includes allowing the players freedom to play and follow their instincts. Shooter not afraid to take the shot. Passers not afraid of making a turnover. I hate silly turnovers but really don’t mind the ones when a player capable of a great play is trying to make a great play. That’s how you learn to become a great player.

He scored at a pretty decent clip under Byron in the 2nd half of the season, too, u know. So let’s not make his shortcomings all about how Byron handled him. Of course, I know that might be askin’ too much of u, LT. : )

It’s true that he was scoring well last year but also you have to consider the areas that people are complaining about. Adjusted to 36 minutes he turned the ball over 3.1 times a game last year. Irving a 5 year vet turned it over 2.7 times per and Curry a 6 year vet about 3 and half. And Irving only managed a little over an assist more a game. I chose those two guys because they are more of the score first point guards that I see Russell becoming.

I’m not one of those willing to give a pass to Steph or Kyrie for their TOs either. They’re all bad IMO. But it’s not just his turnover rate that I’m lookin’ at, it’s how he runs the offense(or doesn’t) that’s really what I’m focusing on. He dribbles too much in one spot, which to me, causes his teammates to move less and it stifles ball movement. I wanna see him give up the ball sooner, but I think he’s a lil too caught up in scoring right now. Hopefully, he’ll find the proper balance just like his coaches have expressed over the past several days. We’ll see if he’s able to do it.

His dribbling in one spot syndrome bothers me, too, but that will be cured as the culture grows. Last season the offense was stagnant. In the SL, there’s been little practice time, so there’s no way to pick up on much of the offense. Frankly, I am encouraged by this because once he learns the offense, we will see him get rid of the ball more, create, cut and blossom as a player. It’s one of his greatest areas for growth.

Here are some interesting stats about assist to turnovers. Magic Johnson averaged 11.2 assists and 3.9 turnovers per game and on his best assist year (83-84 when he had 13.1 a game), he averaged 4.6 turnovers. There were lots of point guards who had better assists to turnovers ratio than Magic’s 2.87 but none of them were as good a point guard.

I want D’Angelo to become more aggressive rather than less aggressive as a playmaker. I think the new system Luke is implementing emphasizing ball and player movement will provide D’Angelo with more opportunities to make plays for other but I also expect his stats to be more Curry like than a true point guard.

For my I guess my expectation level isn’t that high. He’s only 20 playing with a group of guys that were thrown together two weeks ago in a brand new offense. I just didn’t expect a lot of precision under these circumstances. What he is showing is a guy that will be a great score. We will have to wait to see how the rest shakes out

Well, that’s all well and good, but when u’re the #2 overall pick in the draft there’s certainly a level of expectation that I think is justified. Now, he’ll either live up to it, or he won’t. Only time will tell, but so far, IMO, he hasn’t.

1) Nick the Quick was a much better passer, or at least turned the ball over a lot less, as a PG. He seems to be learning how to use what athleticism he has coupled with his size to get himself free for scoring chances.

2) I made the same observation yesterday, not sure why it’s hard for folks to understand that one of the two will be stunted by coming off the bench. It’s not the worst problem for the Lakers to have, but Iike Randle’s ceiling (and really want to see his game post-TEAM USA and what he’s added to his game. I like them both, too, for different reasons.

3) Me too, hope he makes the team and carves out a decent role. At the very least he’s great insurance to plug into whatever sets we develop in tandem with Mozgov as they are very similar in playing style.

4) Yeah, coming back from injury I feel like it’s a combination of not fully trusting his body and just not having the mental edge to make it in the NBA. Regardless of the reasons, he’s not performing very well in summer league. I expect him to get an invite to training camp, but there were some guys in the 2nd unit (names escape me) that were pretty intriguing. He seems confident, though, so I’m willing to let it ride until camp.

5) Skip. See every comment about a lack of a plan I have ever typed. I’m happy Luke’s on the Lakers, I think Byron got a real raw deal. I think Byron’s approach is one of the best ways to introduce young players to the true world of the NBA. Moving on.

6) Yeah I think the Lakers, when they realized nobody really good wanted anything to do with them, went for mentors. Did they overpay, yes, but that’s the tenor of this round of free agency. Honestly, seeing how this played out, I can see a lot of logic behind the owners wanting to phase in all the TV money over a slightly longer period of time. It is what it is, and it’s fairly obvious why the players wanted to phase it in over a much shorter period of time, and everyone was in the same situation. Some teams dealt with it better than others.

As it stands, I agree on Ingram, he’ll be coming off the bench, rightly so (like DAR and Julius last season) and may play his way into a starting role as the season rolls on. I like his shot, and I can see he has great instincts but he needs to add weight and smarts. Those come with time. I’d have been just as happy had we included the pick in a trade. As it stands, I’m cool with Ingram.

“I think Byron’s approach is one of the best ways to introduce young players to the true world of the NBA.”

Operative word being: player(s). When one is coaching an individual player (as in golf, tennis, etc) it is a different set of circumstances that would allow one to employ coddling, and kidd-skin gloves. Same as with raising 1 child. You can spoil that child without fear of backlash because there are no other variables involved. Also true with having 1 grandchild, where spoiling them is the only objective, anyhow.

However, when you’re coaching 5 (or more) players, your treatment of each individual players has to be with an objective eye toward the benefit of the entire unit as a whole.

Take note of Phil’s approach towards rookies and young players. Pop, as well, kept them on a short leash. Usually, Laker coaches have a singular agenda -- winning. Last year was obviously an exception.

The upside in all areas of his game is tremendous. So there are two ways to look at that, 1) optimistically and rationally, or 2) emotionally and impatiently. I prefer the progressive man’s approach (#1) to the conservative ninny approach (#2).

I think the Lakers should go all out to sign Biyombo. Even more so than Whiteside. Biyombo would bring instant toughness to the frontcourt. He’s within the age range of our young stars, plus he will do all the dirty work this team needs done. Let D’Angelo, Clarkson, Ingram, and Randle take care of putting the ball in the basket.

I’m hearing numbers like $15 million for him. I say give him an offer he can’t refuse. Give him the red carpet treatment. He would complete this team, and I think we’d be in contention for years to come.

Biyombo is a freak of nature athletically. He’s strong, and doesn’t take no BS. He would be our enforcer.

While the results haven’t been desirable, I’ve been very pleased with our youngsters. This is the most fun I’ve had watching a 1-7 Laker team ever.

1. D’Angelo has struggled. Why are there fans out there who are surprised about that? He’s 19 years old. The talent is there, the desire is there, the attitude is there; give it some time, he will be a star if he stays healthy. I really enjoy his style out there, real smooth player. Once he gets going, we should see some good efficiency out of him.

2. It seems like Byron is so used to losing as a coach, he’s forgotten how to teach his team how to win games.Some of the coaching decisions he makes are mind boggling. Why take out Nance last night? He was the best player on the floor. Why not play Clarkson and D’Angelo to end the game? Why does it have to be one or the other? I like Lou Williams, but he’s not a clutch shot maker, never was, he’s a sixth man for a reason. Are these the “Byronisms” coach Dave Miller is talking about? It’s ridiculous!

3. However, Coach Byron is instilling discipline into these guys. That is a good thing being that it’s a young team.

4. If last night wasn’t it, it’s only a matter of time before Larry Nance Jr. breaks out. Hitting those jumpers will only open up his game. His inside game is better than his outside game. He’s actually really good in the post. He knows how to make the right passes out of the double team. Byron needs to put him in the post and let him go to work. Teams will be forced to double team him as they find out what he can do to 1 on 1 coverage.

Excellent post, Rocky. It was the most enjoyable Lakers game I’ve watched in a while, even though we lost. Loved the glimpses of greatness we saw from all four of our young stars. I’ve always hated it when the coach takes out a hot player. Hated it as a player and as a fan. Larry was playing great. Why not leave him in the game? The only reason for not playing the starters in the fourth quarter is if the bench built a lead and are keeping it. That was one thing I loved about D’Antoni. He always left the hot players in the game.

I just want to jump on and say I’m very excited about this Laker team. Yes, I’m always excited at the beginning of each year, but this year is new and different. Our mix of talent is nice. It’s going to be real fun watching these guys develop into a unit. The group of Clarkson, Randle, Russell, and Nance is our future and it is a bright one. After what seemed like an eternity looking through a black hole of hope, this team now is peering right through that tunnel and the light is right there.

I have to give Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss some credit. Mitch and the scouts for securing this talent, and Jim Buss for just staying out of the way and letting Mitch do his job.

These young guys are going to take their bumps and bruises, but to have guys like Kobe, Hibbert, Lou, MWP, and Huertas to lead the way is an outstanding situation for our youngsters.

How can you not be impressed with Huertas? He looks like Steve Nash out there. He’s gonna be great with the second unit. And our depth looks really good right now (hopefully no injuries). Lou Williams with Huertas leading the 2nd unit could become the best in the NBA in my opinion. Then you can throw Nance in there, it’s looking really good so far.

Gosh, I am super glad that Mitch chose Russell over Okafor. I was a huge Okafor guy throughout the year, but seeing how Russell plays, it’s awesome. He’s going to be a great player. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching him compete against the other PG’s in the NBA. Last night, you could see Lillard taking it to Russell a little bit at the beginning. Russell will have to deal with that on a nightly basis, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders and the confidence to come back at his competitors.

I’m not all that impressed with Upshaw to tell you the truth. He’s a project. However, Sacre’s bonehead plays might have sealed the deal. I will always equate Sacre to the losing years of the Lakers cheerleading Dwight Howard and Steve Nash. Let’s eliminate those memories. Cut Sacre.

Once again an assumption. Instead of giving Jim Buss credit for his contributions, you give him credit for “staying out of the way,” an assumption you make because Mitch had the final say on draft choices. Whatever. Go Lakers!

C’mon keen, do you really believe that Jim Buss had made any contribution other than letting the professionals do their jobs? I don’t know if you have been watching those Backstage Lakers shows on TWC, good shows btw, but Jim Buss is like a little kid with his baseball cap. There was a moment on there when Mitch was about to make the pick of Russell; Jim looked so amatuerish you wonder how he’s the owner of such a great franchise as the Lakers.

I think part of Jim Buss’s problem is that he’s not flashy like his father. He doesn’t go by the maxim, “Dress for success”. He’s a laid back guy who dresses with what he’s most comfortable with. Unfortunately, judging a book by its cover is all too common in our society where impressions go a long way. I don’t doubt that Jim Buss play a roll in the decisions being made and should be given credit for both good and bad decisions the Lakers have made. Most of us agree, the Lakers are making the right moves and going in the right direction. It’s not all on Mitch. Jim Buss is an important part of that equation even when he dresses like a teenager instead of co-owner of a storied franchise in basketball.

I’m encouraged as well Rocky. The young players all seem to have the intangibles that are needed to be great. I love Clarkson. He has proven that last year was not a fluke. And Randle brings it. Like Byron said he’s not afraid of anything. Russell has gotten off to a little slower start but he’s 19. My biggest concern was he wasn’t looking for his shot. But he did more of it last night to good results so I’m hoping it gives him the confidence he needs moving forward. And Nance my goodness. He just maybe our 2nd draft steal in two years. He reminds me of a bigger super athletic Rick Fox. A lot has been made of his shooting stroke but he has proven like Rick that he can make them if left open. If he just takes the open ones, that’s all we need. His defense, rebounding and shot blocking will be what he builds his career on.

And the 2nd unit will be one of the best. With Marcelo, Lou and Nick they are going to score a lot and Bass is a solid PF. We just need a center to emerge. All in all this will be a fun team to watch. Like I’ve post before the West is not as deep as it use to be. I think the last 2 playoff spots are up for grabs. And if Kobe is healthy and plays well I think we grab one of them.

Congrats to Ed Davis. I’m not happy that he signed with Portland, but can he be blamed? His reasoning was that he “didn’t want to wait around” (While the Lakers courted a “better” player). It really is a slap in the face to guys like Ed Davis to have a team do that. I’m surprised Jordan Hill hasn’t done the same.

It is clear that the faces in the Lakers leadership are stale, bland, old, incompetent looking, boring, and not trustworthy. Yes, I’m talking about Byron Scott, Mitch Kupchak, and Jim Buss. Byron has turned losing into an art form. Do players really think Byrons coaching makes players better? Mitch Kupchak has some great qualities as a GM, charisma is not one of them. Can Jim Buss really be taken seriously wearing that stupid baseball cap all of the time? Sure, it seems like nothing, but it shows a total lack of professionalism where million dollar deals are being made.

What really gets me upset is the fact that Philly owns our first round pick next year. So that means it’s pretty much do or die next season for Kobe and the rookies. We need to make the playoffs next year to prove to KD that LA is the place where he’s gonna win a championship.

I’m super excited to see Dangelo Russell and Julius Randle in summer league. If they can dominate and win games, it will be a great sign for the team.

Baseball cap is going to continue to fail and have to step down. Until then, we are left with a FO unwilling to evolve.
KD is not coming to this dumpster fire.
He’s not coming to a team with a bunch of kids and no All Stars.
This is not a rebuild. It’s a destruction of the former best franchise in the sports world.
Both Jeannie and Jim are the problem.
Off with their heads!!!!!!!!

Yep…that’s what I’m sayin. Jimmy is still an owner even if he steps down as president. The family will probably bring in a like-minded person as his replacement when what they really should be doing is using that twc money to snatch an up & coming young innovative mind from another organization to bring some fresh ideas and perspective.

Even though we might strike out on free agents once again, I’m still happy with the squad. I want to share some thoughts on Larry Nance.

I watched Larry Nance very closely at Wyoming since they were a rival for San Diego State. When his name was called as the 27th pick, I was super happy. Nance is an athletic freak, he can jump out of the gym. As a senior last year, Nance was a man among boys, he would dominate games, leading Wyoming to its best start in school history. Wyoming was actually in the top 25, which hadn’t happened for 40 years. Nance was playing so well, I was thinking he’d be a lottery pick. Then he tore his ACL.

What is crazy is that he came back in the same season from that ACL tear. Super fast healing, however he wasn’t the same player of course.

Aside from being such a great athlete, it is clear the Nance has taken heed to the lessons given to him by his dad. Nance is very sound fundamentally. He can handle, has a midrange jumper that he can use in the post as a fallaway, he has a good post up game (in college he demanded a double). Defensively, he was a great shot blocker.

I have no doubt in my mind that Larry Nance was a steal at 27 and can’t wait to see him do his thing in a Laker uniform.

Thanks, Rocky. The draft was more important in my opinion than this summer’s free agent market. I am still hoping we will strike gold with Jordan or Aldridge but odds seem against us. Anyway, love the comments about Nance Jr. I believe he will become a valuable bench player, a 3-and-D power forward who can guard all 5 positions. I see him as our version of Draymond Green down the road.

I wasn’t too optimistic about us landing anyone of significance this summer anyways. We really need to develop the young core we have which will make us more attractive, plus we will enough cap space to sign 2 max players which is more attractive. Unlike last season in which I only watched a few games, this season I’m excited to watch the development of players that matter moving forward.

Jordan is the only one who really fit our needs and superstar role. If we do not land him or Aldridge, we still need to find a starting center and backup point. I would be getting on the phone with Tyson Chandler and Cory Joseph right now.

Personally, I’ll be happy either way. But if the choice had to be made, I’d choose Okafor. He would immediately put us into playoff contention as he would be probably the best low post scorer in the NBA. The dude is dominant in the post. The whole offense could revolve around him.

Then again, the NBA is changing. A versatile low post big like Towns who could defend the perimeter and shoot a little bit is super valuable as well.

So, I’m leaning towards Okafor, but I’ve been wrong before. Overall, I’m just ecstatic that we got the #2 pick and can pick one of these potentially great NBA players. I’ve never cheered for the draft lottery like I did last night. It was pathetic, really, but dammit the Lakers being good means a lot.

I want Towns because I think his lateral quickness lends itself better to today’s game.
Plus, he can space the floor for Kobe and others to work in the post.
His defensive upside looks like it’s higher than Okafor’s and we all know we need a bunch of new guys in here who take pride in that aspect of the game.
That being said, I won’t be bummed at all if we end up with Okafor!
Man, I can’t believe I just typed that!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Towns is the better fit for the Lakers because he is a better defender both at the rim and on pick-and-rolls and a more balanced offensive threat because he can shoot from distance and make his free throws. Additionally, he is more athletic and explosive and will eventually be as good an inside scorer as Okafor. Okafor is more of a one-dimensional player although that dimension is low post scoring, which is in high demand in the league. Bottom line, I would love Towns but Okafor would be great too.

I can feel the the black clouds over the Laker franchise starting to weaken. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. If we can have 4 picks this coming draft….

I’ve been looking at some mock drafts and we are in position to get some very good players. We can possibly get Stanley Johnson, an awesome player. Maybe Rondae Hollis Jefferson, another awesome player. Maybe Dakari Johnson…among many others.

If we can mix some of these players with a Julius Randle who’s healthy and in good shape, it’ll take a few years to grow, but it will be fun to watch.

I’ve had my fill of Swaggy P. It’s time for a new era in Laker history and it starts with this upcoming draft. So I’m pulling for this team to continue to lose.